RIP, continued

Martin Landau (1928-2017) aged 89. Landau's most impressive movie role must have been as Leonard in Hitch's NORTH BY NORTHWEST, as the gay sidekick of James Mason. He also stands out from the crowd as Ruffio in CLEOPATRA, and had some later good roles in Woody's CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS and as Bela Lugosi in ED WOOD, bringing him a Best Supporting Oscar. He began at the Actors Studio in 1955, sharing classes with Marilyn Monroe and Steve McQueen, and of course also scored big on television in series like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE which I would have missed in Ireland.

George A. Romero (1940-2017)  aged 77. The horror genre is not one I bother with much, but we were all stunned by that original black and white NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD back in 1969 - the early colour versions were stupendous too ... Romero certainly started a trend with those satirical gruesome zombie apocalypse sagas.

Barry Norman (1932-2017), aged 83. Another long standing BBC broadcaster departs - their regular film pundit from FILM 72 right through to 1998, plus presenting other film related programmes like THE HOLLYWOOD GREATS and THE BRITISH GREATS, and until last week writing a weekly film column in "Radio Times" and also publishing books. Whatever one's view of avuncular Norman and his rather middle-of-the-road views, his shows were essential then, for reviews and comments on film in those film-starved years, before internet comment. He really knew his Hollywood and British films, even if not so interested in foreign language movies, but that was not his shows' remit then. 
  
Adam West (1928-2017), aged 88. The original 1960s BATMAN. How we enjoyed those shows then. Kapow!

Anita Pallenberg (1942-2017),  aged 73. The original rock chick is proof indeed that one can live a life of excess and still get to 73. The Italian-German actress and model almost began the Swinging Sixties by herself, being there at the start. We know her best from BARBARELLA and especially PERFORMANCE, but she was also in the now forgotten CANDY, and assorted other movies, as well as being that muse for the Rolling Stones. Her life certainly makes colorful reading, no need to re-hash it here. 

Pallenberg, like Nico, Jim Morrison and her friend Marianne Faithfull, came to represent the dark side of the swinging decade, and played an unusual role in the male-dominated world of rock music in the late 1960s, acting as much more than just a groupie or partner of a band member.  (more on PERFORMANCE at James Fox label).